While much of the response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa is contingent on the United States government's public health and military actions ("Ebola hits home," Oct. 2), health professionals and government officials have been quite reluctant to come to terms with how America's history of public health espionage and medical mistreatment complicate the battle against Ebola. America has a long history of medical mistreatment and imperialism which are now providing the fuel for Ebola conspiracy beliefs. Past and recent medical mistreatment include: the British military utilizing smallpox as biological warfare against Native Americans during colonial times, the United States Public Health Service's syphilis experiments on people domestically and abroad, the CIA using a Hepatitis B vaccination campaign as a cover for its spy operations to capture Osama bin Laden and USAID-sponsored program engaging in HIV prevention education as a means to spy on Cubans and foment rebellion.

The U.S. Surgeon General will give the commencement address at Hampton University's graduation ceremony May 12.
Dr. Regina Benjamin will be the university's 143rd commencement speaker and will receive an honorary doctor of science degree at the...